Faceoff Factor

Sunday’s Games Capture NHL Playoff Spirit

Jesse Marshall | National Hockey League

Apr 14, 12:02 PM | Hype this story!

If you missed some of last nights hits, antics and goals, shame on you for six weeks.

Calgary shows the courage of a Stanley Cup contender

The Pengrowth Saddeldome was rocking with a sea of red Sunday night before the drop of the puck for game three of their series against the San Jose Sharks.

Twenty-five seconds into the period, the rocking stopped as Stephan Yelle was assessed a slashing penalty. Ryan Clowe cashed in on the power play for the Sharks.

Two minutes later, the Sharks lead 3-0.

The Saddledome was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Flames coach Mike Keenan pulled Mikka Kiprusoff in favor of veteran backup Curtis Joseph.

If it were the regular season, I probably would have changed the channel, but not in the playoffs, and not against a team like the Flames.

Corey Sarich blasted Sharks captain Patrick Marleau into the glass, drew a penalty, and Jarome Iginla notched his first of the playoffs.

The comeback had officially begun. But the most magical moment of the game wasn’t Sarich’s hit, Joseph’s stellar relief play, or Owen Nolan’s game winner late in the third. It was the penalty killing of one Matthew Lombardi, who dramatically dove in front of a Craig Rivet slapshot with 1:00 left in the game and the Sharks on the power-play.

That is what playoff hockey is all about.

Video: Marleau gets hit by Sarich – momentum turns.

Avery innovates art of screening the goaltender

Sean Avery is known for his on-ice antics that normally lead to penalties or fights. Sunday night, he released his new blueprint for screening the goaltender.

With the game tied 1-1, the Rangers took to the power-play.

Sean Avery skated directly at Martin Brodeur and stood face to face with him, erratically waiving his stick in his face and blocking his view.

Brodeur, visibly upset, struggled to see the location of the puck.

During the exchange, Chris Drury approached Avery and seemingly yelled at him to get his stick down and knock off the antics.

Less than a minute later, Avery had a goal.

Brodeur would shine in overtime, though, as the Devils John Madden notched a goal to tie the series at 1.

We can only wonder if Avery will return to his newfound screening technique in game 4.

What did you think of Avery’s antics?

Video: Avery screens Brodeur